Posted on 01/10/2002 3:56:38 AM PST by brityank
AK: Tongass, the healthiest forest in North America
John Sandor: 01.10.02As federal judge James Singleton ponders yet another injunction restricting logging in the Tongass, it's an appropriate time to put things into perspective. At issue this time around are 19 tracks of timber proposed for harvest by the U.S. Forest Service in remote areas of the Tongass Singleton issued a temporary injunction last March that shut down logging in the Tongass for almost two months. He exercised a very loose and subjective interpretation of the law, when he concluded that the U.S. Forest Service neglected to consider some roadless areas in the Tongass as potentially eligible for wilderness designation. His decision was reversed, but the damage he caused was profound.
According to the Resource Development Council, the basic profile of the nation's largest forest reads as follows; Total area - 17 million acres. Area designated for logging over the next 200 years - 576,000 acres or less than 4% of total area. Percentage of old growth forest untouched over the course of 300 years - 88%. Acres of timber harvested since 1909 - 400,000 acres, less than 4%.. Allowable annual harvest - 267 million board feet. Number of board feet harvested in the last fiscal year - 47.8 million, the lowest in nearly 60 years Number of jobs lost - thousands. Economic impact - in the 100's of millions of dollars.
Does this sound like a forest that's endangered? Quite the contrary, what's endangered in Southeast Alaska, is the economy, communities, families, dignity, and a way of life. The communities of Ketchikan, Wrangell, Craig, Petersburg, and a number of others have all felt the impact. Aside from the loss of jobs directly related to timber, a great number of other jobs dependent upon revenues derived from logging and processing have been lost, along with tax revenues needed to support the infrastructure of Southeast communities. Southeast Alaska's barge companies have also suffered from the loss.
In the beginning, it was Southeast Alaska's abundant natural resources that rooted the small coastal towns in this beautiful and remote land. The environmental movement has shown little regard for the historical and cultural values of the Tongass region. No consideration has been given to the economic devastation that has resulted from a thoughtless final act of the Clinton-Gore Administration in issuing the roadless rule. The roadless rule in effect usurped science-based management of federal lands to fulfill a strictly political ambition.
The Tongass has become a favorite rallying point for antidevelopment interests. Its not enough that logging has been reduced to a mere shadow of what it once was. Some activist organizations won't rest until logging in the Tongass is reduced to zero and only an exclusive few will even be allowed access to the forest.
In Oct. Jake Kreilick, the National forest Protection Alliance (whoever they are) made the outlandish claim that the Tongass was the fourth most endangered forest in the nation. Kreilick is a self-professed monkeywrecher, international criminal, former director of the national Zero Cut campaign, and member of the Ruckus Society, a group who's mission is to promote civil disobedience as a way to achieve their goals. Juneau was one stop for Kreilick on an well-orchestrated, whirlwind tour to capture headlines and raise money for Earth First's "10 Most Endangered National Forest Campaign."
Kreilick, with the help of a number of local activists was successful in capturing headlines in a series of staged media events and no doubt harvested more cash to keep the road show going. Fundraising is what it's all about.
This sort of hyped-up grandstanding event exemplifies the extreme to which extremists are willing to go. The downside to this is that the tactics of the extreme side of the movement also taints the good work performed by the many moderate organizations in the environmental and conservation community.
Stewardship of the earth's resources is the responsibility of all. But the pendulum has swung way too far in the direction of unreasonable restriction and regulation. For a thoughtful, fact based analysis of the excesses of the environmental movement read the Sacramento Bee's series entitled "Environment, Inc," in special projects archives of the newspaper's web site at sacbee.com.
Sadly, even if Singleton permits logging in the designated areas to move forward, there may few bidders for the contracts. The timber industry in Southeast Alaska is on the verge of collapse.
Most of Southeast Alaska is in the hands of the federal government and most of this land is under permanent protection. The function of the U.S. Forest Service is to facilitate and supervise forestlands for multiple uses. The Forest Service is being prevented from doing its job. The Tongass Land Management Plan is designed to provide a solid balance between conservation and development. The TLMP is locked up and being challenged by people who have never set foot in the Tongass.
Somewhere along the way we've forgotten that federal lands belong to all of us. The Alaska gubernatorial election will be a turning point for Southeast Alaska's economic future. Voters should pay close attention to what the candidates have to say about their plans to rebuild Southeast Alaska's failing economy.
Somewhere along the way we've forgotten that federal lands belong to all of us.
And most of the Media is encouraging the lies that the ecoterrorist environmentalists promulgate as valid conservation measures.
Ping your Alaska FReepers for background.
The feds control more here than anywhere else. Around 1% of total land is in private hands. Imagine if your state was 99% parklands of some sort or another. The incentive for private development doesn't exist. When Carter enlarged Denali, the miners were run off their lands. The feds stifle any business opportunities in any way they can.
The feds played a part in the economic destruction of Southeast Alaska, but there were also other economic factors related to the industry that contributed to its demise.
There has to be a a better sense of balance between economic development and the environment. You can have both. Roadless areas also have many positive attributes. Alaskans don't want to see development create the back east mentality. Before long, people begin to think living that way is normal and acceptable.
Its great to be able to walk out the back door and go hundreds of miles without crossing a road. The down side is the fed's intrusion that comes along with it.
Tree-killer spores found in redwoods...Sudden oak death found in redwoods
All we can do is keep trying to educate people about this nonsense. Maybe one day they'll wake up...
Our own FReeper Carrie-Oakie had a book out that envisions just that, and has some good ideas on how to implement them:
THAT has been the chief consequence of government involvement with the 'environment'.
The situation is similar in Canada; we even get to endure RFK Jr. ;^) Gag me!
And the spark will be in the west.
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